Legislative Updates

2024

H 7225 Sub A as amended:

An act making appropriations for the support of the state for fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.

Read the full text for H 7225 Sub A at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Representative Marvin L. Abney
Actions:
  • 01-18-2024

    Introduced, referred to House Finance

  • 05-29-2024
    Agenda

    Scheduled for consideration (05/31/2024)

  • 05-31-2024

    Committee recommends passage of Sub A

  • 05-31-2024
    House Calendar

    Placed on House Calendar (06/07/2024)

  • 06-07-2024

    House passed Sub A as amended (floor amendment)

  • 06-07-2024

    Referred to Senate Finance

  • 06-09-2024
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (06/11/2024)

  • 06-11-2024

    Committee recommends passage of Sub A as amended in concurrence

  • 06-11-2024
    Senate Calendar

    Placed on Senate Calendar (06/13/2024)

  • 06-13-2024

    Senate passed Sub A as amended in concurrence

  • 06-14-2024

    Transmitted to Governor

  • 06-17-2024

    Signed by Governor

H 7335:

Requires that the state’s share to public libraries be fixed at twenty-five percent (25%) of the amount appropriated by the city or town in their budgets for fiscal year 2024, utilizing funds from the general fund or the American Rescue Plan Act.

Read the full text for H 7335 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Representative David Morales
  • Representative Lauren H. Carson
  • Representative Camille F.J Vella-Wilkinson
  • Representative Rebecca M. Kislak
  • Representative Teresa Ann Tanzi
  • Representative Matt S. Dawson
  • Representative Carol Hagan McEntee
  • Representative Jennifer A. Stewart
  • Representative Robert E. Craven, Sr.
  • Representative June Speakman
Actions:
  • 01-26-2024

    Introduced, referred to House Finance

  • 05-10-2024
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing (05/14/2024)

  • 05-14-2024

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

H 7386:

Encourages and protects the freedom of public libraries to acquire materials without limitations and prohibits materials being removed from public libraries due to partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

Read the full text for H 7386 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Representative Jennifer A. Stewart
  • Representative David Morales
  • Representative Brandon C. Potter
  • Representative Jennifer Smith Boylan
  • Representative Enrique George Sanchez
  • Representative Cherie L. Cruz
  • Representative Katherine S. Kazarian
  • Representative Mia A. Ackerman
  • Representative Brandon T. Voas
  • Representative Julie A. Casimiro
Actions:
  • 01-31-2024

    Introduced, referred to House State Government & Elections

  • 02-23-2024
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (02/29/2024)

  • 02-29-2024

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

Companion Bill: S 2281
H 7415:

House Resolution Expressing Condolences on the Passing of Dr. Donna Louise Gilton

Read the full text for H 7415 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Representative Carol Hagan McEntee
  • Representative Kathleen A. Fogarty
  • Representative Teresa Ann Tanzi
  • Representative Tina L. Spears
  • Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi
  • Representative Christopher R. Blazejewski
  • Representative Michael W. Chippendale
  • Representative David Morales
  • Representative Matt S. Dawson
  • Representative Thomas E. Noret
Actions:
  • 02-01-2024

    House read and passed

H 7475:

Modernizes all state library laws by eliminating the clearinghouse advisory committee, updating how the clearinghouse publishes its list of publications, reducing the number of physical copies and facilitating digital publication.

Read the full text for H 7475 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Representative Lauren H. Carson
Actions:
  • 02-02-2024

    Introduced, referred to House State Government & Elections

  • 02-23-2024
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (02/29/2024)

  • 02-29-2024

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

  • 05-28-2024
    Agenda

    Scheduled for consideration (05/30/2024)

  • 05-30-2024

    Committee recommends passage

  • 05-31-2024
    Calendar

    Placed on House Calendar (06/04/2024)

  • 06-04-2024

    House read and passed

  • 06-07-2024
    Senate Consent Calendar

    Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar (06/11/2024)

  • 06-11-2024

    Senate passed in concurrence

  • 06-12-2024

    Transmitted to Governor

  • 06-17-2024

    Signed by Governor

Companion Bill: S 2742
H 7508:

Provides for the legal governance of licensed electronic literacy materials.

Read the full text for H 7508 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Representative Lauren H. Carson
  • Representative Joseph J. Solomon, Jr.
  • Representative Jacquelyn M. Baginski
Actions:
  • 02-08-2024

    Introduced, referred to House Corporations

  • 02-23-2024
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (02/27/2024)

  • 02-27-2024

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

H 7575:

Establishes, as an affirmative defense to the crimes of circulating obscene publications or shows and selling or exhibiting obscene publications to minors, the person’s employment status as an employee of a school, museum, or library.

Read the full text for H 7575 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Representative David Morales
  • Representative Jason Knight
  • Representative Edith H. Ajello
  • Representative Brandon C. Potter
  • Representative Matt S. Dawson
  • Representative Rebecca M. Kislak
  • Representative Cherie L. Cruz
  • Representative Carol Hagan McEntee
  • Representative Robert E. Craven, Sr.
  • Representative Leonela Felix
Actions:
  • 02-09-2024

    Introduced, referred to House Judiciary

  • 03-15-2024
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/21/2024)

  • 03-21-2024

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

Companion Bill: S 2429 Sub A
H 7888:

Requires every public school in Rhode Island to have a school library or library media center in a permanent and dedicated space available to students in grades K-12 with a librarian available.

Read the full text for H 7888 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Representative Rebecca M. Kislak
  • Representative David Morales
  • Representative June Speakman
  • Representative Edith H. Ajello
  • Representative Megan L. Cotter
  • Representative Brandon C. Potter
  • Representative Cherie L. Cruz
  • Representative Teresa Ann Tanzi
  • Representative Leonela Felix
Actions:
  • 03-04-2024

    Introduced, referred to House Municipal Government & Housing

  • 03-22-2024
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (03/28/2024)

  • 03-28-2024

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

S 2281:

Encourages and protects the freedom of public libraries to acquire materials without limitations and prohibits materials being removed from public libraries due to partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

Read the full text for S 2281 at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Senator Mark P. McKenney
  • Senator Hanna M. Gallo
  • Senator Dawn Euer
  • Senator Victoria Gu
  • Senator Tiara T. Mack
  • Senator Joshua Miller
Actions:
  • 02-12-2024

    Introduced, referred to Senate Education

  • 04-05-2024
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/10/2024)

  • 04-10-2024

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

  • 05-17-2024
    Agenda

    Scheduled for consideration (05/23/2024)

  • 05-23-2024

    Committee recommends passage

  • 05-23-2024
    Senate Calendar

    Placed on Senate Calendar (05/30/2024)

  • 05-30-2024

    Senate read and passed

  • 05-31-2024

    Referred to House State Government & Elections

Companion Bill: H 7386
S 2429 Sub A:

Establishes, as an affirmative defense to the crimes of circulating obscene publications or shows and selling or exhibiting obscene publications to minors, the person's employment status as an employee of a school, museum, or library.

Read the full text for S 2429 Sub A at the Rhode Island General Assembly website.
Sponsor(s):
  • Senator Mark P. McKenney
  • Senator Hanna M. Gallo
  • Senator Dawn Euer
  • Senator Tiara T. Mack
  • Senator Joshua Miller
Actions:
  • 02-12-2024
    Original bill text S 2429

    Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary

  • 04-26-2024
    Agenda

    Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (04/30/2024)

  • 04-30-2024

    Committee recommended measure be held for further study

  • 06-04-2024
    Agenda

    Scheduled for consideration (06/06/2024)

  • 06-05-2024

    Proposed Substitute

  • 06-06-2024

    Committee recommends passage of Sub A

  • 06-07-2024
    Calendar

    Placed on Senate Calendar (06/11/2024)

  • 06-11-2024

    Senate passed Sub A

Companion Bill: H 7575